The war between Russia and Ukraine affected sports, too, as players from Russia and Belarus were banned from playing several major events in the 2022 season. Even in the recent Wimbledon Championships, the players from these countries were not allowed to play under the flag or receive funding from their countries. Despite many standing with the banned athletes, Iga Świątek has always been vehemently opposed to the actions of both Russia and Belarus. She is also vocal about her stance and has always played with a small Ukrainian flag on her hat, making her notion clear. Her support was cited as one of the reasons why she received flak from the audience when she lost to Ukraine’s Elina Svitolina in the quarter-final of Wimbledon.

The Pole’s father, Tomasz Świątek, expressed his views on the criticism his daughter faced in a recent interview. He also revealed his side and what he makes of the war.

Iga Świątek was taken under her father’s wing after receiving harsh comments

Many critics of the Pole took negatively the reigning WTA World No.1’s loss to the Ukrainian star, who was making a comeback after childbirth. Świątek’s support to the war-torn country was attributed to her loss, and people couldn’t accept her defeat. In this context, the Pole’s father was asked how he felt about his daughter’s stance and if he had anything to do with it.

In an interview with the Polish news agency, ‘Rzeczpospolita,’ the former Olympic rower was asked, “The attitude towards the war in Ukraine is the result of your talks or its reflection?” Mr. Świątek replied, “It’s her reflection. She plays with a ribbon on her hat, her views are clear – she wants the war to end. Unfortunately, after the match with Elina Svitolina there were many negative comments. It was hurtful.”

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Tomasz further added, “However, one cannot remain indifferent to such a topic as war. Iga is entitled to her opinion. And she is consistent about it. The human harm happening in Ukraine, which not everyone wants to talk about, should resound clearly.” The comments indicate that the father-daughter duo share similar views on the war. But what views of Świątek provoked the audience to criticize her?

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The Pole extended support to Ukrainian athletes since the onset of the war

After her victory in the final of the French Open, Świątek said, “The only thing I can say is that we, as a tennis community, we should make every effort to stop the Russian aggression. My support goes to all Ukrainians because I know their situation is not easy. If I were in their place, I don’t know if I’d be able to compete, honestly. I respect them very much and want to continue focusing on what’s right for them.”

This is not the first time she went against the Ukrainian invasion. In an interview with the French daily, ‘Le Monde,’ the 4-time Grand Slam champion revealed how the locker room feels tense and heavy with war taking a toll on the players. She also picked at the authorities of the WTA and ATP for the way they handled the situation.

Świątek opined that it is the responsibility of the tennis authorities to guide players on how to manage such complex situations. She asserted that Ukrainian players should be given priority, as they would be the most affected. These statements stoked the fire of criticism that was coming at her after her recent loss to Svitolina. The WTA world no.1 is currently playing the BNP Paribas Warsaw Open and defeated Nigina Abduraimova in her recent match.

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